At the end of a long week

This past week I finished school for the semester. I'll be taking the summer off, focusing on work, racing, and other things.

The racing started fast. On Tuesday night I did an hour long weekly crit down in Long Beach, fun race on a great course in a nice park. I finished mid pack, I made my moves, chased down most the breaks, mostly using it as just a training ride, not really going for the win. It was good times, if I can I plan to head down there some more this year.

On Saturday was the annual San Fernando Criterium. Fortunatley I won't be a cat 5 for very much longer because the start was at 7:30, that means I woke up at 5 on Saturday...ME! Anyways, course was 6 corners with a false flat to the finish line each time around. It was the first time I had raced with teammates, only 3 of us but we made sure to lead the pack across the line on several laps, just to get that Bearclaw jersey in the eyes of the crowd.

I made a move at the last turn before heading to the line in the final lap. It stuck and I pulled a huge gap over the field. Crossing the line feeling victorious, I was suddenly stunned to hear the race directors decided that we should go one more lap...later citing that the race was set up for multiple people to sprint to the line, not for some joker to go across by himself. Anyways, I now had one more lap to go and thought I just might hold on. I didn't. I got caught somewhere close to the line, but still finished top 10.

Sunday's crit was in Glendale, only a four corner course but it was fun. We had a later start time which I was thankful of. For the most part the field sstayed together. Riders tried to attack, including myself, but as I've seen in cat 5 races...if you attack, you will be by yourself. It seems to be easier to not work hard for the majority of the race, so thats what most riders do.

I did witness my first crash in a race, first corner of the last lap, 2 riders direct next to me on the outside had a bonding experience, it was pretty loud, but as I rode away inches from being taken down with them, all I could do was chuckle. The race came to a sprint, my positioning was a little farther back than it should have but I still took 9th, by inchs.
(All the pics are from Sundays Bicycle John's Grand Prix in Glendale...taken by mom, thanks!)